Into the Fire

Robin Patchen gives us Reagan McAdams (aka Rachel Adams) who asks herself how she got so good at making up lies in Convenient Lies (Hidden Truth, Book 1).

Reagan McAdams faces too much tragedy and sorrow as a young girl in her hometown so after she moves away for college she changes her name and persona, leaving behind her once best friend and her first love with a bitter, drama queen resolve. After graduating, she travels Europe seeking out secrets for her journalist mindset and meets a gorgeous, charming, and wealthy man (Julien) who whisks her off on his yacht, marries her, and they travel to Tunis (north Africa). Her naivete runs its course and shortly after bearing their son in Paris, she gathers the minimum she can take and leaves a note for her husband who is away on business that she will be going to see her sick grandmother. She breaks into his always locked office to steal information about his criminal activities, knowing it's not enough to convict him but perhaps enough for some leverage because she knows he will come for her even though he has no knowledge of her real name or where she's going in the states.

Her plans are sketchy and hit their first enormous roadblock when she finally arrives at her grandmother's home. It isn't long before her long ago love shows up at the house with a definite hitch in his heart over the way things ended between them. Seeing him only makes what she plans tougher to do, and it doesn't take long before everything she hoped to accomplish goes awry.

Convenient Lies is a story of multi-faceted conflicts, inserted lies – some made just to survive – and the kind of love that just doesn't disappear with time and circumstance. Reagan McAdams realizes the life she's created for herself is filled with trouble, trauma, and unfulfilled dreams. Her one great joy is her son who she knows Julien would never hurt if found. At the hardest moments she remembers her grandmother's faith but can muster none of her own. Brady has tried his entire life to get over his first love but has yet to succeed. Seeing her again, knowing her situation, only makes him want to try harder to be the hero. He does everything he can to discover just how deep her troubles go but is determined to rescue her and her son from them all.

Reagan's fear was well done, but she was a major drama queen. Her lies only compounded her problems, her emotions were often uncontrolled and dishonest. Brady put up with a lot but remained the steadying force in spite of Reagan. At his most challenging moment his hopeless faith called out to God, but the faith elements in this story were kept to a minimum with these characters. 

Robin's written an entertaining story with international intrigue invading the quiet small hometown atmosphere. Good – but some frustrating – characters. 

Father, please continue to bless Robin's life and give her the inspiration she needs to keep writing those stories you have just for her to tell. Encourage her and keep her safe. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.